Combination bridge and pickup assembly for string instruments



Oct. 30, 195] c FENDER 2,573,254

COMBINATION BRIDGE AND PICKUP ASSEMBLY FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 15, 1950 Cuzeavce fZ-WOGQ,

INVENTOR.

Q7 TOP/V67 6 Patented Oct. 30, .1951

OFFICE COMBINATION BRIDGE AND PICKUP AS- SEMBLY FOR STRINGINSTRUMENTS Clarence L. Fender, Fullerton,0.alif. Application January 13, 1950, Serial No. 138,305

6.0laims. 1

My invention relates to combination bridge and pickup assemblies for string instruments, and in- ;cluded in the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a device of this class which is particularly suitable for electrically amplified guitars or similar musical instruments and which incorporates a novelsectional bridge permitting individual adjustment of the strngs.

Second, to provide a device of thisclass wherein the pickup unit may beaccurately adjusted rela- :tive to the strings of the instrument.

Third, to provide on the whole, a compact assembly which ,althougheconomical of manufacture and installation is particularly dependable and effective in operation.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top view of a guitar incorporating my invention. 1

-FigureZ is an enlarged top oraplan view of my combination bridge and pickupassembly, the adjacent portions of the guitar :body being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through 33 of Figure 2.

My invention is shown in conjunction with a uitar which involves a body I. The body may be solid except for a recess 2 to receive a portion of the pickup unit and vertical holes 3 which receive the strings 4 of the instrument. The un. derside of the body I is provided with suitable anchor fittings 5 in which the ends of the strings are secured. The strings pass over my bridge and pickup assembly, to be described hereafter, and extend in a conventional manner over the neck 6 of the guitar and are conventionally secured to the head 1 thereof.

My bridge and pickup assembly includes a plate ll, preferably formed of sheet metal and provided with an end flange l2 and side flanges l3. The plate I! is positioned over the recess 2 and holes 3 and is secured in place by screws i4.

Mounted on the plate l are three bridge members l5, which form the parts of a sectional bridge. Each bridge member [5 is in the form of a short cylinder adapted to underlie two strings Each bridge member is provided near its extremities with diametrically extending elevation set screws IS the lower ends of which protrude through the bridge member and bear against the plate H. Each bridge member I5 is also provided with one tension set screw H, which extends horizontally therethrough and is journaled in the end flange Q2. The strings 4 pass a pickup unit '20. The pickup unit includes a base plate2l oinonmagnetic material mountedwithin :the recess :2 and adjustably suspended fromthe plate H by screws 22. Surrounding the screws '22, between the plate I l and the base plate '2 l ,are coil springs 24. The base plate ,2] supports upstandingpermanentmagnet armatures 25 adapted to be-located in alignment-with the strings 4 ofv theguitar. The armatures are surrounded bypa solenoid coil v26. Suitableleads (not shown) electrically'connect the solenoid coil to :a con- --ventional amplifier. :The upper extremities-pf the armatures -25-,are retained in a headplate z'i alsopi nonmagnetic material.

The pickup -unitjis preferably suspended ;-by .three screws, so positioned thatthepickup .unit :rnay "be :tilted slightly either about an :axis traversing the strings or about an axis parallel with the strings, so that each armature may be brought into the proper relationship with its corresponding string. Furthermore, it has been found desirable to set the pickup unit in acute angular relation with the strings rather than at right angles thereto.

It has been found advantageous to place the elevation set screws 16 into the bridge members l5 at an angle to the vertical, as shown best in Figure 3. Also, the brid e members are disposed, at sufiicient distance from the end flange l2, and the tension set screws H are journaled sufficiently loosely in the end flange to allow the necessary elevation adjustment of the bridge members. It will be noted that each bridge member [5 may be tilted about the axis of the tension screw l1, so that one of the strings supported by the bridge member 15 may be adjusted differently than the other. It will be observed that by reason of the adjustment of the set screws [1, the distance between the length of the string may be adjusted for proper noting of the frets.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bridge assembly for stringed musical instruments, involving: a plate member adapted to be secured to the body of a stringed musical instrument and apertured to receive the ends of the strings thereof; a plurality of bridge bars underlying said strings; means for individually raising and lowering said bridge bars relative to said plate; and means for individually adjustin said bridge bars axially with respect to said strings.

2. A combination bridge and pickup assembly for steel stringed musical instruments, involving: a plate member adapted to be secured to the body of a stringed musical instrument and apertured to receive the ends of the strings thereof; a plurality of bridge bars underlying said strings; iiieans for individually raising and lowering said bridge bars relative to said plate; means for individually adjusting said bridge bars axially with respect to said strings; and a magnetic pickup unit disposed under said strings adjacent said bridge bars.

3. A combination bridge and pickup assembly for steel stringed musical instruments, involving:

aplate member adapted to be secured to a body of a stringed musical instrument and apertured to receive the ends of the strings thereof; a plurality of bridge bars underlying said strings; ineansrfor individually raising and lowering said bridge bars relative to said plate; means for individually adjusting said bridge bars axially with respect to said strings; a magnetic pickup unit supported by said plate adjacent said bridge bars; and means for adjusting the spacing of said unit relative to said strings.

4. The combination with a stringed musical instrument wherein a plurality of strings are anchored in a body structure of a bridge assembly, involving: a bridge bar disposed between the body structure and each pair of strings adanchored in a body structure, of a bridge and pickup assembly, involving: a bridge bar disposed between the body structure and each pair of strings adjacent the anchored ends thereof; means adjacent the extremities of said bridge bars to alter the elevation of each extremity thereof independently relative to said body structure; means for individually adjusting said bridge bars longitudinally relative to said strings; and a pickup unit including elements sensitive to vibration of said strings, and means for adjusting the position of said sensitive elements relative to said strings.

6. The combination with a stringed musical instrument wherein a plurality of strings are anchored in a body structure of a bridge assembly, involving: a plate member secured to said body structure and apertured to receive said strings, said plate having an upright flange and defining a clearance opening; a pickup unit mounted in said clearance opening and including sensitive elements disposed in proximity to said strings, and means for adjusting said pickup unit about two axes to place said sensitive elements in predetermined relation with said strings; a bridge bar disposed between said plate and each pair of strings adjacent the string apertures of said plate; means adjacent the extremities of said bridge bars to alter the elevations thereof relative to said bod structure; and means anchored in the flange of said plate for individually adjusting said bridge bars longitudinally relative to said strings.

CLARENCE L. FENDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,025,875 Loar Dec. 31, 1935 2,087,106 Hart July 13, 1937 2,152,783 Beauchamp Apr. 4, 1939 

